Astley farms

Wood Farm, Barney, Norfolk    

Area: 1,100 acres farmland, 800 acres woodland

Certification:   Organic Farmers and Growers

Crops: Arable, livestock, vegetables, fruit and game.

Outlets:  Back to the Garden Farm Shop

Telephone:   01328 822 125 (office) 01263 715 996 (shop) 

Delaval and Veronica Astley returned to North Norfolk a few years ago to run the family estate.

Delaval has brought a fresh perspective to the farm and is full of ideas for future development. He relies on farm manager William Hepworth-Smith to oversee the day-to-day running. Delavel is responsible for changing the farm from a conventional mixed farm to a more sustainable organic farm with greater emphasis on direct marketing. His principal motivation is to produce good quality, healthy food for people to eat.

Delaval has long wanted to see the farm organic but it was not until 2002 that circumstances allowed him to take such an enormous leap for a big farm. Perhaps the biggest spur to change was the economic conditions facing all farmers, making conventional farming difficult and diversified organic growing far more attractive. Back to the Garden, his farm shop, has been running now for three years and a butchery and delicatessen are about to be incorporated. Much of the food for the shop is grown or reared on the farm, and the co-op provides the rest of the fruit and vegetables.

Of the farm's 1100 acres, around 600 acres are given over to arable farming, 20 acres to the production of fruit and vegetables, one field is for the chickens, and the rest provides grazing for sheep and cattle. This land was put into organic conversion in October, 2002, under the certification of Organic Farmers and Growers. The arable crops are potatoes, wheat and barley. Since conversion Delaval has introduced a wide range of vegetables, and with the inclusion of fruit this summer hopes to offer a very complete range of produce from his farm.

There are a further 250 acres of ancient woodland, comprised mostly of sessile oak standards and mixed coppice. The woods are a national nature reserve of high conservation value with a honey buzzard amongst the rare species of animal and plant life. A charcoal burner has recently started work in the woods as part of a drive to manage them both sustainably and productively. Converting the farm to organic production allows it to form a more complete unit with the woods and the other elements already managed under the countryside stewardship scheme.

The farm is closely linked to the Camphill Community at Thornage, a residential centre for adults with learning difficulties. The centre aims to provide residents with opportunities for a working life, mainly on the site's small bio-dynamic farm. The buildings and land were given to the Community by the Astley family, who continue to give active support. Camphill are already running a small box scheme, with produce from the farm, and they also supply Back to the Garden.